Selena's killer seeks cash; judge says no

Yolanda Saldivar wanted $1,810, instead she gets $80,000 in debt

CORPUS CHRISTI - The woman convicted of killing Tejano superstar Selena hoped to get $1,810 from the district attorney's office, but was saddled with tens of thousands in debt instead.

Yolanda Saldivar, Selena Quintanilla-Perez's former fan club president, left 214th District Court Wednesday more than $80,000 in debt.

State District Judge Jose Longoria denied Saldivar's request for the money she had in her possession at the scene of the shooting. He also assessed $84,785.18 for the cost of legal services incurred by her court-appointed attorneys and ordered that the $1,810 offset the larger figure.

Before Longoria made his decision, Saldivar, dressed in pink and her shoulder-length hair showing signs of gray, told the judge the money belonged to her.

"That money was given to me as a salary, prior to anything," she said.

Arguing in her defense, San Antonio attorney T.R. Whited said the money had no bearing on the 1995 shooting and argued the state had no legal reason to keep personal property.

"In fact, those are wages," Whited said. "Probably the most sacrosanct thing you can have in America."

District Attorney Carlos Valdez said there was no proof that shows the money was wages Saldivar earned.

According to an expense report submitted to the court, Nueces County has paid at least $169,700.82 for legal fees associated with the trial and appellate proceedings. After the hearing, Valdez said he pulled the $84,785.18 from the sum of legal fees after determining what the county could receive under current statutes. "These are actual expenses that have been paid by Nueces County," he said in court.

In 1995, a Harris County jury convicted Saldivar of murder and sentenced her to life in prison for the shooting. She is eligible for parole in 2025.

After the hearing, Saldivar's sister, Maria Saldivar, said it was ridiculous that Saldivar owes the county more money for legal services.

"Are they charging every inmate?" said Maria Saldivar, who has written a book about her sister and islooking for a publisher. "This was wrong. Are they going to have to pay $84,000?"

Valdez said Saldivar might not have been assessed $84,785.18 had she not pressed the issue. But because Saldivar repeatedly sought to have the money returned to her, the county did an audit of what she owed and determined she still owes the county money, he said.